Member Article

TfL buys time as it extends Addison Lee's license for only six months

Transport for London (TfL) has opted to extend Addison Lee’s private hire license for just six months as it continues to ponder increasing operating costs for private hire firms.

As concerns continue to grow over the number of private hire vehicles flooding London’s roads, fuelled in part by ever-increasing numbers of Uber drivers operating in the capital, the transport body is considering bumping up costs to help fund the added costs associated with regulating more vehicles on the road.

Addison’s five year license was to come up for renewal at the end of the month, but TFL have opted for just a six month renewal as it considers how to introduce new rules to regulate private hire vehicle licenses.

Uber’s license received a mere four month renewal at the end of May.

In quotes reported by City AM, an Addison Lee spokesperson said: “Addison Lee’s licence has been routinely renewed as part of the usual course of business. The length of the licence is at the discretion of Transport for London.

“We have been informed by the licensing authority that the six-month duration is purely to allow TfL time to consider the results from a public consultation on licence fees.”